Ugly Sweater Run: Louisville 5K fights 'cheesy' holiday season

By Anne Boukhalfa-Leon For the Camera

Posted:
12/01/2012 05:09:40 PM MST

Updated:
12/01/2012 11:38:37 PM MST

Rachel Lione of Thornton, left, and Cherie Miller of Lafayette line up with a few hundred other festively dressed runners to begin the Ugly Sweater 5K race held in Louisville on Saturday morning,
(
Jonathan Castner
)

More than 1,000 people joined Louisville's second annual Ugly Sweater Run on Saturday. From children to dogs to full-grown adults, almost everyone was wearing sweaters only a grandma could love.

Lucky Pie's beer garden and parking lot served as the start and end points for the 5K run that could be considered one of the ugliest on the planet.

"This is the kind of race we live for," said runner Pete Covert.

The goal of the Ugly Sweater Run isn't to race fast. According to the event's organizers, running in ugly sweaters counters what they see as the "cheesy" parts of the holiday season.

Participants partner with Toys for Tots, donating gifts that will stay in each race-host city. Next Saturday there will be an Ugly Sweater Run in downtown Denver. The Denver run should feature about 8,000 participants, and each runner is asked to bring a new toy to donate.

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"We got our priorities -- and running isn't one of them," said Nick Swanson, another one of Saturday's participants.

Swanson and four of his friends raced as a group, all dressed up as band members with inflatable guitars. They had ugly-sweater outfits, complete with Afros, tights, mutton chops, and spiked collars. Fun and friends are what brought them there.

It was 66 degrees in Louisville during the race and with all that running and sweater wearing, the participants did some sweating, too.

"We did a lot of walking so that helped," said Swanson.

The Ugly Sweater Run started in Louisville last year with about the same amount of participants as this year. But this year, there are seven different cities hosting the event including Las Vegas, Chicago, and Moscow. Next season the goal is for 20 participant cities, according to event coordinator Leah Smith.

After the race, participants of all ages competed for Ugliest Sweater, Best Team, Best Santa Belly and Best "Ho-ho-ho." A break-dancing girl won the prize for Best Moves and a few 7-year-olds with face paint and other artificial enhancements won prizes for Best Mustache.

As the event was wrapping up, over the blasting Christmas music, the announcer reminded everyone to, "Stay ugly Louisville!"